Text extracted from Gill B.J.; Bell, B.D.; Chambers, G.K.; Medway, D.G.; Palma, R.L.; Scofield, R.P.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Worthy, T.H. 2010. Checklist of the birds of New Zealand, Norfolk and Macquarie Islands, and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica. 4th edition. Wellington, Te Papa Press and Ornithological Society of New Zealand. Pages 177-178 & 184-185.

Order GRUIFORMES: Rails, Cranes and Allies Family RALLIDAE Rafinesque: Rails, Gallinules and Coots This classification and nomenclature of rails largely follows Taylor & van Perlo (1998).

Subfamily RALLINAE Rafinesque: Rails, Gallinules and Coots Rallia Rafinesque, 1815: Analyse de la Nature: 70 – Type genus Rallus Linnaeus, 1758.

Genus Porzana Vieillot Porzana Vieillot, 1816: Analyse Nouv. Ornith. Elem.: 61 – Type species (by monotypy and tautonymy) “Marouette” of Buffon = Porzana porzana (Linnaeus). Zapornia Stephens, 1824: in Shaw, General Zool. 12: 230 – Type species (by monotypy) Zapornia pusilla Stephens = Porzana parva (Scopoli). Zaporina J.R. Forster, 1827: Pocket Encycl. Nat. Phen.: 418. Unjustified emendation. Phalaridion Kaup, 1829: Skizz. Entw.-Gesch. Eur. Thierw.: 173 – Type species (by subsequent designation) R. parvus Scopoli = Porzana parva (Scopoli). Rallites Pucheran, 1845: Revue Zool.: 277 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Rallus parvus Scopoli = Porzana parva (Scopoli). Porzanoidea Mathews, 1912: Austral Avian Rec. 1: 117 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Gallinula immaculata Swainson = Porzana tabuensis (Gmelin). Schoenocrex Roberts, 1922: Ann. Transv. Museum 8: 197 – Type species (by original designation) Rallus pusillus Pallas = Porzana pusilla (Pallas).

Porzana pusilla (Pallas) Baillon’s Crake Rallus pusillus Pallas, 1776: Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs 3: 700 – Dauria, Siberia.

Throughout the Old World, including New Guinea, Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. Migratory in the Palaearctic.

Porzana pusilla palustris Gould Baillon’s Crake Porzana palustris Gould, 1843: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1842 (10): 139 – “van Diemen’s Land” = Tasmania, Australia (fide Peters 1934, Check-list Birds World 2: 183). Porzana pusilla fitzroyi Mathews, 1912: Austral Avian Rec. 1: 73 – Derby, Western Australia. Porzana pusilla palustris Gould; Marchant & Higgins 1993, HANZAB 2: 545.

This Australian subspecies was recorded from Macquarie Island by Marchant & Higgins (1993: 545).

Porzana pusilla affinis (J.E. Gray) Marsh Crake Ortygometra affinis J.E. Gray, 1845: Zool. Voy. ‘Erebus’ & ‘Terror’, Birds 1(8): 14 – Wanganui River. Porzana affinis (J.E. Gray); Buller 1905, Suppl. Birds N.Z. 1: 63. Porzana pusilla affinis (J.E. Gray); Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th ser.): 215.

New Zealand and Chatham Islands. Widespread scattered records (Elliott 1989, Marchant & Higgins 1993). Very rare as a fossil or in middens.